Roof-deck for vehicles



M. H. HULL.

ROOF DECK FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICAT|0N-F|LED MA R.29,1917.

Patented July 13, 1920.

UNITED .'l'A'lltlS MATTHEW R. HULL, or' connnnsvrrlrn, r

ING COMPANY, or ccivnnnsvrLLn,

Nl'llil'r'it, ASSIGNUR INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

rro REX MANUFACTUR- RGOF-DECK 'FR VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedJuly 13, 1920.

Applicationnled March 29, 1917. Serial N0. 158,456.

To all vtr/tom it may concern Be it known that l, lvla'rrrrnw R. HULL, a citizen of the United States, residing at (lonnersville, in the county of Fayette and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Roof-Decks for Vehicles, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention relates to improvements in vehicle tops having rigid decks, such as are commonly used in automobile construction in both stationary and demountable types, having a plurality of transverse bows or frame n'ieinbers several inches in depth, cov ered with a tight roof on top and coiled on the inside below, thus forming empty inclosures liioiunled by the roof and ceiling at top and bottom, and by the transverse bows on the sides.

The object of this invention is, first, to utilize one or more of these vacant spaces by providing hinged doors in the ceiling for access thereto. Second, to provide receptacles for the storage of flexible side curtains where the latter will always be convenient and quicklyaccessible in case ofsudo den showers which often occur during the warm months when such curtains are used, and third, to provide such a storage place so located that the curtains may be folded therein without removing them from the wires on which they are strung and supported.

l accomplish the above and other objects which will hereinafter appear, by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1, is a perspective view of an automobile body having a rigid deck, the otherwise open sides of which are shown closed by tiexible and foldable side curtains. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1, looking up at the ceiling which is broken away in part. My invention is shown .in the top illustrated in this view. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the ceiling and top showing the door in open position with the curtains or other contents removed, and Fig. #l is a vertical section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

The body 5 is of any usual and suitable construction and the top may be rigidly built thereto or it may be demountable. It comprises a rigid deck G, which is supported 1n front by the windshield. posts T. 7, or in any suitable way, and the rear end of the deck is supported by the usual end panel 8,.

byl other well known means, and is madeV water tight inthe usual manner. The bows are covered on the inside of the top with a cloth ceiling 12, or other suitable material which hides the bows and completes the closure of spaces between the bows which have heretofore been alowed to remain empty. (lne or moreof these spaces are employed for a curtain repository which is madeiaccessible' for use by making a door 13 in the ceiling. The adjacent bows are preferably rabbetcd to let the door close in tluslrwith the rest of the ceiling. The doors are built light and strong as here shown, on a frame comprising an edge wire 14 covered on both sides with cloth as shown in Fig. 3, and stitl'ened with cross slats 15. edge of the door from its hinge is provided with a series of spring sockets 16 to receive corre pending studs 17 in the rabbeted edge of the bow upon which the door closes whereby the door will be held at numerous points when closed by fasteners which may be loosened by pulling down on the door. To aid in the latter operation, linger pulls lr, one at each spring socket, are provided.

rllhe curtain repository is preferably located near the front end of the ceiling and will contain the flexible and foldable curtains `19, of usual construction. The curtains will be duplicated for the two sidesof the vehicle. Each will be strung on a separate cable or wire 20, fastened at one end in a suitable manner, and entering the curtain repository through a suitable hole through its front bow. A spring 21 is introduced into the cable line to enable the line to be drawn taut and fastened in that condition to a hook 22 in the panel 8 at the rear of the top. The line is provided with a suitable end loop to engage the hook.

When not in use the curtain is along the transverse line shown in Fig. 1 and is pushed forward on its wire cable to the curtain re- The opposite v pository into 1which it is laid in folded con- Y dition, and is there retained by straps 24,

in the manner shown in Fig. et, and the bare Wire cable on Whichtlie curtain was strung,

in use, is'ioldedVV into the curtain receiving y repository with the curtain. @ne end of each strap 24 is fastened inside of the receptacle Vand preferably near the side to which door loris hinged, so that While the door and folded bundle of curtains not only Will swing downwardly in the saine general direction, it enables the folded bundle of curtains to be lifted into the receptacle in closing the door, which operation can be effected with one hand While the vehicle 'is -in motion and leaving the 'otherliaiidof the operator free to operate the steering wheel. it also has a stud and the other end of the straphas a spiing socket to engage the stud and tasten the ends of the strap to!` gether, as when the strap is Wrapped around a folded curtain. strapped and folded curtain Will drop out of the box when the door is opened, making the fastened endsfoi' the straps accessible for their undoing and release Vof the curtain on short notice.

llljiile the location oi the curtain repository'near thedfront of the 'ceiling Vof they top is preferable for convenience, it may obviously be located farther back, and atthe opposite end, if desired, ,Without vdeparting from the spirit of this invention, and the receptacles in the root1 ofV the car may be used for other than curtain storage.

The manner of Stringing the curtains -on Vthe Wire cables `is shoivn'in Fig. 2, where it will be seen that the several folds the 'liront end are` not threaded onV account oi' the cables passing under the ceiling lr'omV Vholding straps, means for attaching one end ot each'strap adjacent the side of the nient and repository to Which the door is hinged, and means for detachably sucuring the free ends or the straps Within said repository;v

2. A vehicle top comprisinga iframe, a

roof for covering` said frame, a ceiling forni- 50 ing the inner lining for said frame and having an opening therein which communicates With a curtain repository formed betiveen the root and ceiling, a door for closing said opening, 'curtain-holding straps, 651

means for securing one end of each strapY Within the repository to cause the straps when detached at one `end to hang suspended adjacently to the open hanging door,

and means for removably securing the free 70:

ends of the straps Within said repository.

il `vehicle top, comprising a root', a

ceilingand transverse members separating;

and uniting the other two, said parts to* gether forming a curtain repository, a door 751 Vhinged in the ceiling and aliording access to said Vcurtain repository, curtain holding straps, means for securing one end or the vstraps near the side or the repository to which the door is hinged to cause the clos- S02/ ing door to lift the straps and curtains` into saidy repository, and means for detachably securing the iree ends of the straps at the will of the operator.

all vehicle rtop comprising va roof, i185 ceiling l and transverse members separating and uniting the other tivo, said. parts together Aformingcompartments, a door in the ceiling affording access to acompartment,`

a cable adapted to be strungrin a taut con. 9o;

dition longitudinally of the top close VVto a. Voir the top, saidl cable entering said compartment and passing out through the door-opening thereof, a curtain strung onV said cable and adapted to be olded With the 951 cable into the compartment for storage and to be suspended in use from the taut cable and straps removably secured at their ends, said straps beingi'astened,insaidcomparttains. ,Y

ln vvitness whereof I have hereuntoV set my hand and sealat Connersville, Indiana, this 20th day of March, A. l). one thousand nine hundred and seventeen.

iviiiiriinvvn. HULL. i [as] Witnesses vz 'EDWARD C. `funnier-rr, RAYMOND H. Gmuvromi adapted to holdthe folded' cui#V 100 

